It Rewrote The Book On Bomber Design | Martin B-10 [Aircraft Overview #43]

Today we look at perhaps the most influential bomber designed in the 1930s: the Martin B-10. This aircraft's design was so innovative that it redefined the concept for the "modern bomber" overnight, and it would have a lasting impact on bomber design in the United States.
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Producing these videos is a hobby of mine. I have a passion for history, and personally own a large collection of books, journals and other texts, and endeavor to do as much research as possible. However if there are any mistakes, please don't hesitate to reach out and correct anything :)
Sources:
Swanborough.F.G & Bowers.P.M (1969) United States Military Aircraft Since 1909
Grey.C.G & Bridgman.L (1972). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1938.

[@RexsHangar]

F.A.Q Section Q: Do you take aircraft requests? A: I have a list of aircraft I plan to cover, but feel free to add to it with suggestions:) Q: Why do you use imperial measurements for some videos, and metric for others? A: I do this based on country of manufacture. Imperial measurements for Britain and the U.S, metric for the rest of the world, but I include text in my videos that convert it for both. Q: Will you include video footage in your videos, or just photos? A: Video footage is very expensive to licence, if I can find footage in the public domain I will try to use it, but a lot of it is hoarded by licencing studies (British Pathe, Periscope films etc). In the future I may be able to afford clips :) Q: Why do you sometimes feature images/screenshots from flight simulators? A: Sometimes there are not a lot of photos available for certain aircraft, so I substitute this with digital images that are as accurate as possible. Feel free to leave you questions below - I may not be able to answer all of them, but I will keep my eyes open :)

[@brendonbewersdorf986]

Thank you for covering this plane it is one I've been aware of for awhile but I'm glad to get a deeper look at it! Keep up the good work!

[@danepatterson8107]

I'm in desperate need of knowing how the B-25 and A-20 evolved and fought!

[@CODRD]

Can you cover the Dornier Do 11 please?

[@atskyrider1636]

Can you cover the Curtiss BF2C Goshawk (Hawk III) plz

[@tmclaug90]

He 112!

[@Dr_Jebus]

Glad the army air corps eventually decided that pushing 200 mph is a bit nippy for open cockpits.

[@bigblue6917]

I think the Japanese and Italians didn't get that memo

[@calvingreene90]

It was the Pilot's that resisted the closed-cockpit.

[@conspiracyscholor7866]

@@bigblue6917 A lot of the old school pilots at the time very much disliked closed cockpits.

[@bencaffarel2343]

And to think, if they hadn't invented it, men might have been flying at supersonic speeds, up to the edge of space with nothing but a pair of goggles!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I guess they had no choice when pilots came back with hypothermia. Lol . Imagine the trainee pilots being told to harden up it's part of the job. I've ridden motorcycles all my life, I know what it's like to be cold.

[@MrChiron12]

Ever since I flew it in Warthunder it has become one of my all-time favorite twin engine planes. I just think it's one of the coolest planes I've seen in years.

[@NOOBSLAYER-cw3gd]

ye

[@dylanholven6375]

sad that they dont add older planes like it anymore!

[@MrChiron12]

@@dylanholven6375 Yeah, It is a shame that they won't support the early tiers.

[@L.Pondera]

Love this thing. Two 1000s or a 2k is a very good load at 1.3. it flies great and is just a classic. Paired with the M10 or used in naval it is a superb quick in and out bomber, but not as fragile as a dive bomber. Though I do enjoy using SB2Us as well.

[@Theover4000]

One of the few reasons I still want to return to War Thunder one day, the B-10 and early tiers in general were super fun but just.. Boring, once you unlock and max out everything.

[@EstorilEm]

Pretty amazing that the USAAC essentially went from biplanes, to this B-10, to the B-17 in less than 10 years. Less than 10 years after that, the ~600mph B-47 strati jet was flying.

[@mpetersen6]

And in fighters went from the P-26 to the P-80 in ten years. In a lot of ways the US really lagged in aircraft development in the 30s. A lot of th his had to do with Depression era economics. The other brake on development was the deep rooted desire to stay out of the worlds problems. Especially in the Congress. Also the Navy got the lions share of money especially after FDR got into office. Partly because he was a former Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Also partly because he saw increased spending on Naval construction as a means to boost the steel industry. In some ways I think people overstate the effects of the Depression. Ford, GM, Chrysler and a bunch of independents were still building automobiles. There were still people building houses. I have heard it said more true millionaires came out of the Depression than the Roaring 20s. Partly because people who had some money were able to buy property cheaply. I'm not saying a lot of people did not go through tough times. But I don't think unemployment ever got over 20%. I know neither of my grandfathers were ever out of work in the 30s.

[@maynardmckillen9228]

My Grandfather, with an engineering degree, worked at a power plant through the Great Depression and WWII. These observations, of course, in no way justify allowing or encouraging economic depressions to occur, nor do they rationalize any crackpot economic theories such as "Trickle Down".

[@mpetersen6]

@@maynardmckillen9228 One grandfather (mothers side) was a licensed Stationary Engineer (power plant operator). He worked at a mill producing brass tube and sheet. The other was a Tool and Die Maker in Chicago. Changed shops more than once but usually went from one to another the next day. Still have some of his tools which l used.

[@philsharp758]

As a relative newcomer to this channel I just wish to express my admiration for your diligent research and accurate use of imagery for the planes in question. Thank you.

[@davemcg757]

I've been fascinated by this plane ever since I first saw it in a book called Air War: Pacific that my dad had. I can't begin to tell you how giddy I was when I was finally able to see the last remaining one at the USAF Museum while I was helping my brother move across country. My dad was an Airforce veteran and he had always wanted to bring us there, but he passed away from cancer before he had the chance. It felt like he was there with us in spirit though.

[@brianoneil9662]

Nice! I knew you'd get to the B-10! It was my first favorite plane as a kid. My dad had a steel toy B-10 from the 1930s and I LOVED that thing!

[@paulhaynes8045]

Looks oddly 'modern' (well, WW2, at least) - until you see the open cockpit! A plane that spaned the gap from post WW1 byplanes to seeing action in WW2 - quite something.

[@bigblue6917]

My thoughts are the same. Imagine open cockpit when they were trying to do those resupply runs to those islands in winter. You would end up with a pilot popsicle.

[@chaz706]

@@bigblue6917 It was ahead of it's time.

[@lennoxstreet]

Fascinating to learn more about the B10. My uncle died on 19 Feb 1942 when his NEI B10 (M531) went down on a mission against the Japanese over Sumatra. Thanks for the story.

[@burningb2439]

" Frozen Pilots aside " 🤣🤣 , just luv Rex's wit..I always think the Martin B10 looked like an Angler Fish that had found the joys of Aviation..

[@RedtailFox1]

yeah, Rex seems to be the aviation equivalent of Drachinifel when it comes to wit in history videos

[@echodelta2172]

I love your videos of interwar aircraft, such a bizarre time in aviation when aircraft were being pioneered in a more advanced state than WWI but hadn't yet been proven in the fires of WWII.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

Thanks for this episode.. you prove that advanced designs were available early

[@mathewkelly9968]

Was obsolete by the time the war started .

[@robertdragoff6909]

I guess you could say this was the stealth bomber of it’s day. It was the first all metal bomber to be in the US Army Air Corps… And Martin kept refining through it’s production run. Great video

[@mikepette4422]

Always loved the fully glazed cockpit and the hothouse look of the rear gunner position. And of course the bubble like front gun turret is very distinctive. It's a hugely important aircraft because somewhat like, ( though not to the same extent ) HMS Dreadnought everything else that came before was now obsolete and every future bomber project would have to take note of the B-10's performance

[@patjohnson3100]

Interesting video. I appreciate the context you include with your videos. Like the B 18 Bolo bomber built by Douglas, which succeeded the B 10, these planes seem little known today. Both planes were advanced for the 1930s. Thanks

[@mpetersen6]

The B-18 was done kind of on the cheap. Using wings from the DC-2 or 3 saved a lot of money. But then Hoeing would go the other way and use the wings from the B-15*, B-17 and B-29 on the commercial side *I think they used it on the Clippers for Pan Am. There us a story that nobody ever made money building airplanes for Juan Trippe. At least until the 707.

[@dpswets]

Love this aircraft. First learned about it when reading about our (Dutch) air force which was the main user of it. Very cool looking but sadly too old by the time the war started.

[@admiral_alman8671]

I think it’s good that it didn’t participate in ww2. Too slow and too weak defensive guns

[@dpswets]

@@admiral_alman8671 they were old but were used very extensively. Even the older variants were put into service again. They've been used against Japanese beach landings, shipping convoys and transpoycolumns.

[@admiral_alman8671]

@@dpswets sure. But under modern fighter atack they would have stood no chance

[@dpswets]

@@admiral_alman8671 true, and they didn't. The fighter cover they had were Brewster Buffalo's, CW-21s and H-75A7 mostly, but by far not enough to defend the bombers against the hundreds of Japanese aircraft. There's records that tell of groups of four fighters against 16 Zero's. You can imagine how that turned out. Bombers often had a fighter cover of around 2-4 planes, depending on how important and dangerous the mission area was.

[@admiral_alman8671]

@@dpswets that was very informative, thank you

[@stevenwilgus8982]

Always informative with no annoying filler fluff. I really enjoy this channel.

[@386joedaddy]

yeah his voice is pleasant and he doesn't come off like a know it all and he sounds excited to be telling you ever small detail. I would like alittle filler at the end with maybe movies it was in or old pictures of dogs in pilot seat because you know theres atleast one black and white picture of each plane out there where a pilot thought it looked cute

[@mathewkelly9968]

Ah the good old days when expense was an issue for the US military

[@voornaam3191]

Today they simply drop the expense using bombers. Ask foreign war victims, THEY got the expense. The Americans got the profits, in the end.

[@andyronayne7947]

That was a truly epic episode on one of my favourite interwar aeroplanes. Incredibly well done… now about those Keystones..

[@davemcaleavey4215]

My grandfather built Martin b10s, very much seen as an innovation at the time even. Airfix is great

[@hunter35474]

I've never seen the planform view of the B-10 before. That huge wingspan reminds me of the WB-57 Canberra, also a twin-engine Martin aircraft (although originally British).

[@philvanderlaan5942]

I don’t know if you have covered the F9C sparrowhawk and it’s Diesel punk ‘ Aircraft carriers‘ USS Macon and USS Akron yet , but if not I’d like to suggest it as one or two videos.

[@nickhomyak6128]

Distinctly; remember perhaps 1964-65 seeing a B-10 at Caldwell Airport in NJ. There was a Curtis Wright engine factory not far. It. Caldwell/Fairfield Airport, was home to a B-17 radio jamming fuselage during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It had a B-24 on site, and during occasions F4U and P-51...

[@garryferrington811]

Great video as always. Short, sweet, well-illustrated, and with all salient points covered.

[@wideyxyz2271]

Great Video Rex and some footage I have never seen before which makes this video even cooler. Nicely researched and narrated.

[@duncangrainge]

Fascinating. Brilliant vid Rex. I really enjoy your videos, thank you.

[@SuperMauserMan]

Love your channel. Thank you.

[@kenkahre9262]

I had no idea! Thanks for doing covering such an important step of aviation.

[@adrianrutterford762]

Thanks for another interesting video

[@ianbell5611]

Brilliant. Thank You

[@powellmountainmike8853]

Very interesting video about an often overlooked, historically significant plane. Thanks !

[@winterwatson6811]

fascinated by that gull wing concept! i would love to learn about more novel wing solutions from the early days of monoplane design

[@daisho13]

Pretty sure he's since done a video on it. Pretty sure you've seen it too, just commenting in case you missed it ☺️

[@mikebaker2436]

My dad's squadron dropped hay to cattle stuck out in blizzards on various occasions in the 70s. These were written off as special training missions.

[@neiloconnor9349]

Thanks for a splendid bit of aviation history.

[@tomperkins5657]

I find your channel to be well-researched, intriguing, and yet to be disappointed with any of your videos. I'm just surprised you do not have more subscribers

[@Ralphieboy]

I love hearing about these key transitional types of aircraft.

[@johnmccarter1720]

One of my favorite Aircraft ever.Thanks.

[@wargamingchina9174]

Great video,thanks

[@pushbikeman]

This was really interesting and very enjoyable!

[@joeokabayashi8669]

Excellent, informative video.

[@kevinpaulson2659]

This was a great episode!

[@Wideoval73]

Thanks for this fine video on an often forgotten aircraft.

[@stevenkostamo1279]

Rex, you have a very good and informative channel.

[@jaymichaelruss6872]

Love the videos mate

[@lloydrobert6182]

5:10 "Frozen pilots aside"!!! You know something? Your sense of humour far exceeds the awesome information you provide, and that's seriously genius! Thank you so much!

[@danepatterson8107]

Another great video from Rex's Hanger. Loved it!

[@jacksavage4098]

Love the channel.

[@rudywoodcraft9553]

Good stuff I got to show that B-10 in the Dayton Air Force Museum to an Argentinian friend who greatly enjoyed it--gifted back to the U.S. by Argentina

[@JarOfDirt.]

Great video as always! Could you please make a video about the Fairey Barracuda?

[@jasonz7788]

Great presentation thank you

[@tsegulin]

I was barely aware of the Martin B-10 and certainly unaware of the leap it represented as an American bomber. Thanks Rex.

[@connoissuer_of_class]

Loving within good distance of the USAFM gives the great opportunity to see a lot of these aircraft up close. It’s interesting how many plaques say: “The last time any of these type flew, was to the museum”

[@chrisbaker2903]

I really enjoyed my visit. Several "Last of it's kind" aircraft. It's really a pity that they had to stuff so many smaller aircraft around the B-36 so it's impossible to get a good overall photo of it.

[@thomaskositzki9424]

Love your channel! You are the Drachinifel of Air Forces. ^^

[@TestingPyros]

I had no idea such an important aircraft had been built! What an amazing legacy!

[@cal-native]

One of my favorite planes! Wish there was still a flying example👍

[@mycroft1905]

Enjoying your series of interwar bombers very much.TFP

[@jayg1438]

Thank you for doing my request!!!

[@raoulcruz4404]

I may have already mentioned this story but , here goes again. In the Navy magazine Proceedings, I read the story from a Navy officer. There were B-10s at Pearl Harbor. Being 1940 they were considered obsolete. His job was to dispose of the aircraft. They were loaded onto a barge and towed out to sea. Holes were chopped into the fuselages with axes. This was done to insure the airframes would sink quickly. Then the aircraft were pushed overboard.

[@Noobazzah]

Keep em coming please!

[@davidotness6199]

Glenn Martin was among a select group of US-based innovators of his day, including Bill Boeing, Tony Fokker and legendary polar explorer Bernt Balchen. So many hard-working and supremely talented men. It was Martin who perfected the previously unsolved 'secret' of making aircraft floats functional by overcoming the lift-sucking drag previous iterations of floats had suffered; simply by incorporating a wedge design still used today. Thanks for your presentation of fact-based aviation history.

[@stevendombrosky2842]

great video as always. just throwing my idea out there. I know it's a civil plane but I believe that the Spartan Executive is the most beautiful aircraft ever created and would really like a video on it. keep up the great work.

[@davemcg757]

Did you know it actually saw military service as the UC-71?

[@stevendombrosky2842]

@@davemcg757 no I didn't. Makes it even better now. Thanks for the info.

[@flyingtigerline]

Really enjoyable.

[@nupagadii5834]

Great simple story I like it.

[@bluetopguitar1104]

Very cool video, some stuff I never knew. The Maryland and Baltimore bombers had an interesting history too. The old Marauder plant in Baltimore is still around.

[@Tiagomottadmello]

Very cool 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@clydecessna737]

Good report.

[@richardadams4928]

This plane had beautiful lines and absolutely jaw-dropping performance for its time. Has always been a personal favorite.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

My grandfather was one of the employees at Martin Aircraft Company that helped make the B-10.

[@jwrappuhn71]

Excellent.

[@jjohnsonTX]

Too bad there's only 1 surviving, but, now I have another reason to visit that museum !

[@bradfordeaton6558]

I knew about the B-10 but had no idea what a success it was. Good to know.

[@Capitan0Guinea]

I wish to compliment for your diction. As an Italian is a pleasure to listen english spoken as they did teach us at school.

[@buggerall]

What a beauty!

[@Inpreesme]

Thank you

[@od1452]

Thanks. I always liked the looks of the B10 . The 30's AC are alo a favorite of mine. I'm guessing the P26 was its protector?

[@Otokichi786]

No more " wind-in-the-face" flying.

[@davidcox2264]

Ok I learned something new today. I had never heard of the B-18 before.

[@cohenworrior898]

Great vid. Interesting aircraft. Is it the only plane without a nickname? 🧐

[@rudywoodcraft9553]

I visit the Dayton Air Force Museum often, and had the chance to bring a friend of mine who had lived in Argentina one time--he thoroughly enjoyed the B-10 exhibit, with its note that the plane was a gift from Argentina

[@lessparks7802]

Great stuff, not just this but all of your productions! Kinda ironic that the last remaining B10 resides at what was Wright Field, now The National Museum of The United States Air Force, Dayton Ohio.

[@rwalker3365]

Maybe not exactly ironic... surely this fine artifact's relocation to Dayton was in no way accidental! But I would agree it is very appropriate :-)

[@proofbox]

While being advanced in its day it was a pretty much dead end design , the B26 showed no relation to it . However the Boeing YB 9 grew into the B 17 you can see it in the lines and layout . The reason it was not ordered in the depression was it was too expensive .

[@321-Gone]

I'd love to see a video on the history of (machine) obsolescence in warfare. i.e.- Battleships, gun fighters in the air, Manned recon flights , ect...

[@EstorilEm]

I can’t believe how fast it was with that crazy thick wing chord. 😳

[@scottmorse1798]

well done.

[@eottoe2001]

This was the plane that established the US Army Air Force as the real thing. The yellow wings added to that cache as being cutting edge. Thanks for posting this video.

[@ice9snowflake187]

I'm not sure about calling the B-26 Martin's "next" bomber (though it was the next Martin with a "B" designation). Weren't the Maryland and Baltimore bombers next after the B-10?

[@bentilbury2002]

Good point. The difference between an A(ttack) and a B(omber) plane is pretty vague, especially in practice.

[@RexsHangar]

Yeah I should have specified a bit clearer, I was speaking more in terms of the "B" designation, apologies for the confusion.

[@marvintpandroid2213]

Looks like it was a giant leap forward.

[@richard63]

Yes please do the Marauder.

[@Wallyworld30]

Martin B-10 looks striking like the Vickers Wellington. The Vickers came out 4 years after the B-10 and "borrows" quite a few design concepts.

[@iatsechannel5255]

Nice piece. The next Martin Bombers were the Maryland and the Baltimore, No? A segment about these would be great.

[@neves5083]

What a beautiful airplane

[@AB-kg6rk]

Well done as always, but i usually just skip over videos smaller than 30 minutes.

[@skipstalforce]

Ya gotta love the incompressable corigated sheet metal mounted at neck level betwween the cockpt and observers seat.

[@mikearmstrong8483]

Considering that Thailand was allied to Japan during the war, this is another example of a plane that served on both sides.

[@coreyandnathanielchartier3749]

Thailand was 'loaned' to Japan by France. Not exactly 'allied'.

[@mikearmstrong8483]

@@coreyandnathanielchartier3749 You are confusing French IndoChina with Thailand, which was a completely independent nation over which France had no control.

[@omartorres5688]

The tail of the bomber at the 1:29 minute mark reminds me of planes like the F15

[@300guy]

Didn't know about the Model 146, did it get an engine upgrade to the 1000 or 1200HP Cyclone and were any ever built with the Pratt & Whitney twin wasp

[@pandoranbias1622]

That interwar period where biplanes were falling by the wayside and monoplanes were taking over is my favorite period. You see an explosion in new and unique designs, all trying to be the one to set the standard going forward.

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

I just love all the hilarious designs people put forward when things are new.

[@Niinsa62]

Ah, don't skip from the B-10 directly to the Marauder! There's also the Martin Maryland and the Martin Baltimore to cover! Even if I do like the Marauder, and look forward to you covering it in a future video!

[@michelguevara151]

it's wonderfully elegant

[@theelitistdude8697]

1:43 "Fokker" im guessing but I was caught off guard and laughed my ass off.